When You Can't Sleep At Night
by NITESIDE -TAYLAH - TYLER
Summary: Pretty little lady with the swollen eyes, would you show them to me? I know I'm not that perfect, but if you stay a while, Baby, then you will see... Fred tries to pinpoint the exact moment that he fell in love with the pretty bookworm known as Hermione Granger. Inspired by the song 'When You Can't Sleep At Night' by Of Mice & Men. Fred/Hermione.


Time stamp: October 4 11:58pm – October 5 1:30am.

When You Can't Sleep At Night by Of Mice & Men.

I wrote this story after texting my friend Tayla, we'd been talking about our fucked up relationships and how I loved an idiot who'd probably never realise it and all the while I was listening to that song listed above. When Tayla said she was going to sleep at 11:53pm I wasn't tired and this song inspired me to write.

Hope you like it.

Love,

Taylah.

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When You Can't Sleep At Night

He had no idea how it started nor could he pinpoint the exact time and date but Fred couldn't deny it any longer. He, the second half of an infamous prankster duo, was in love. In love with the most unlikely of girls, someone who he thought it'd be impossible to love. But he should've known that nothing was impossible for a Weasley twin. So, against his better judgement, Fred Gideon Weasley found himself in love with Hermione Jean Granger. The complete polar opposite of him, a book reading, rule following, ugly cat loving beauty of a girl.

Thinking about it, Fred had an idea of when he realised he loved her or well, when the feelings first started. It was in his sixth year, her fourth, and it was at the Yule ball. But it wasn't when she first entered with her hair and makeup all perfect in that periwinkle blue dress that looked absolutely stunning on her. No it wasn't then, nor was it when she went to the Bulgarian seeker, Viktor Krum as his date for the dance. No, when Fred Weasley realised his feelings for Hermione it was when she was on the steps crying over what his idiot brother had said to her.

_Pretty little lady with swollen eyes,  
Would you show them to me?  
I know I'm not that perfect, but if you stay a while  
Baby, then you will see..._

He'd gone over to her and sat on the steps without a word. She'd been cautious at first but then she decided she didn't care and leaned against him, listening to the rhythmic beats coming from his chest.

"He's an arse, 'Mione. You deserve better and any guy would be lucky to have you," he whispered into her hair.

He remembered the way she sniffled and shook her head. "Yeah, right, Fred. But that's not it. It's the fact that he accused me of _fraternizing with the enemy _and all over made me feel like shit."

Fred wrapped his arms tightly around her and held her closely to him. "Don't worry about him, Love. George and I'll get him nice and good for making such a pretty little lady cry."

Hermione had laughed and lifted her head, swollen red eyes looking up at him. "Get him good for me, Freddie?" she asked.

"Only for you, Love. Of course we will." He'd replied, Hermione nodded and rested her head against his shoulder.

In that moment, Fred realised, it was in that moment that he loved her, when she let him prank his brother with no holds barred. Of course, this moment had sparked a close friendship between he and Hermione, on that could rival the one with her and Harry. Through the rest of the year, summer holidays and new school year you could find them together. When they were at Hogwarts, they'd often fall asleep in each other's arms after a long night laughing and talking about the pranks he and his brother pulled. But it all changed when he and George decided to leave, to be the distraction for Harry to talk to Sirius.

_Miles away and I can still feel you lay  
Your head down on my embrace, my embrace.  
Far away..._

Of course, Fred reasoned with himself, he could have fallen in love with her when they left Hogwarts, realising that there'd be no more late night cuddling on the couch in front of the fire. He had to admit, even though their joke shop, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was popular and fun to run, Fred was miserable without his pretty little bookworm. At night he could swear he could feel her soft, warm body form perfectly to his body even from so away.

When the day came that school was over for the year and the train was to leave for London, Fred couldn't wait for the evening to see everyone, to see Hermione.

When they arrived there was already so many parents waiting for their children, but Fred pushed past them all in time to see his bookworm step off the train at the same time she saw him. It was as if she had apparated, one moment she was in front of the train and the next she was in his arms, holding on for dear life.

"I missed you, Freddie," she'd whispered in his chest while her arms held him tight.

"Missed you too, 'Mione," Fred whispered back with a kiss to her temple.

From that moment stemmed their relationship together and it was plain to see by anyone how much they cared for each other.

_Don't give up baby,  
I know that it's shaky  
Just let love consume us, 'sume us..._

It was at the end of her sixth year when Fred saw his pretty little lady with the swollen eyes again. It was at Dumbledore's funeral, the signal that clearly meant that the immanent war that had been hanging over their heads for the past fue years was 'a go'. Fred had held her and let her cry into his chest while McGonagall said her piece. This could be another of those moments where Fred realised that he could was in love with the beautiful bookworm. The fact that she was strong enough to cry in front of everyone, people who had never seen her cry before, and not give a damn. It was then that he decided to tell her, although he wasn't sure when he could pinpoint the emotion's beginning.

"I love you, Mia," he'd whispered in her ear while watching Dumbledore's friends say their respects. He felt her look at him in surprise.

When he looked down at her, having felt the weight of her gaze, he saw her smiling slightly at him. "I love you too, Fred," she whispered, only for him to hear and she pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

_Miles away I can still feel you lay  
Your head down in my embrace  
Be not afraid to love me._

They'd been gone for months without any knowledge of their status of living or dead. Fred was miserable once again without Hermione, wishing that she was back with him, back where he knew she was safe and where he could protect her from harm. But instead she was god knows where, miles away. More than likely putting herself in danger – more so than that was necessary.

At night all Fred could do was think of everything he should have said to her, all the mistakes he'd made that though small, might not be resolved. And just like every other night he could've sworn that she was there in his arms, sharing his warmth. As he was drifting off, he noticed that his DA galleon light up and reached across to see his pretty bookworm had sent him a message.

'_I love you, now and forever, Freddie. And I'm not afraid as long as I have you.'_

He smiled, replied the sentiments and slept better than he had in weeks, despite the miles between them, glad that his subconscious could feel his amazing girl from so far away. Fred was sure that in this moment, he fell more in love with her than ever.

_Pretty little lady with swollen eyes,  
Would you show them to me?  
I know I'm not that perfect, but just stay a while  
Baby, then you will see._

The battle had been fought and won but at what cost? Fred lay unconscious in Great Hall along with many other bodies, but unlike most he was just asleep. Although his injuries were quite bad, having been crushed by a wall meant he was in a critical condition, half his ribs were broken and small cuts sprinkled his body, making it look worse than it really was. Fred's family had tried to wake him up but it was the pain filled cry of 'Fred!' from Hermione that seemed to rouse him.

His eyes slowly opened and he turned his head to see his pretty bookworm running towards him, tears flooding her swollen eyes. He smiled slightly when he saw her alive and well before turning to his mum.

"I need a healer." His words were slurred and punctuated by coughing but he knew she understood and he knew that things would be alright.

And after a couple of months of recovery and a newly built Burrow that looked the same as it was before it burned, things were alright. Fred and Hermione were sitting beneath a tree in front of lake behind the Burrow when he took her hand.

"Pretty little lady with the swollen eyes, I know I'm not perfect but I love you so much and I can't stand to be without you. If you stay with me, then, Baby, then you will see that I will try to be perfect for you. Will you marry me?"

"Yes, but you don't need to try, I already see the man I love and to me, he is perfect." Hermione whispered as Fred slipped on the ring.

And it was then that Fred realised that he couldn't pinpoint the exact time and place that he fell in love with her because there were so many different moments that all added up, leading him to feel this deep, unfathomable emotion that he knew would never fade as long as he lived. He had simply loved her for all that she was and no exact time or place, he realised, would ever change that.


End file.
